


Five Years

by RebaK1tten



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Babies, Drug Use, Emily is on the team, End of the World, F/M, Gen, I don't know science, I made stuff up, M/M, end of the world so people die, established relationships - Freeform, team fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 13:58:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1107685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebaK1tten/pseuds/RebaK1tten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At first, it was a rumor, a small news item that most people ignored. There are always lots of stories of gloom and doom and reports to be ignored. But after a couple of months, this story isn’t going away and the talk is becoming louder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Years

At first, it was a rumor, a small news item that most people ignored. There are always lots of stories of gloom and doom and reports to be ignored. But after a couple of months, this story isn’t going away and the talk is becoming louder.

It isn’t until the team notices Reid following the news stories, looking concerned at magazines and what he’s reading on-line, that anyone thinks there might be something to consider.

Finally, it becomes the only thing on the news, although there’s still some hesitation in coming out and saying it out loud. Then the day when all television is pre-empted and at the same time around the world, each country’s leader comes on all their networks to announce that scientists worldwide have determined there is an asteroid in a path towards the sun and upon impact, the sun will explode. Scientists are still confirming the exact timing, but the world will end in five years.

The speech is shown every two hours and in between are more news stories and opinionated commentary. The Labor party blames the Socialists, the Democrats blame the Republicans, atheists blame Christians and on and on. But there isn’t any solution.

The first few weeks after, most people are simply in shock and denial. They continue doing what they’ve always done because that’s what they know. After that, there’s a period when people decide to leave their existing lives, giving up quiet desperation.  There’s a rush of members into religions hoping that god will save them and there are those who blame god and leave their religion. People leave their jobs and other leave their families.

Morgan moves back to Chicago to be closer to his family, but he continues to work for the FBI there, working white collar crimes. Amazingly, people still think they can collect enough money to somehow escape, but even if you have the money to buy your way on one of those rocket ship flights, there isn’t any place to go.

JJ quits and they moves closer to her family, and neither she nor Will continue working.  Banks become highly regulated and people are allowed to take out a portion of their savings or 401Ks, and generally it it’s enough to live on, if you don’t do anything excessive.  Emily moves to England, supposedly for work, but also because there are fewer bad memories there.

Hotch continues to work at the BAU, saying that he wants Jack to feel some consistency. The team isn’t traveling very much; there aren’t a lot of team members left but they’re busy around the DC area. About a year after the announcement, he and Beth marry and move to a larger house.

Shortly after that, Dave and Spencer marry. It raises a few eyebrows, but as Dave points out, even if it is a huge mistake and turns to shit, to death do us part isn’t that intimidating anymore.  Hotch watches how they take care of each other and support each other and thinks it might be the best choice Dave’s made in a spouse.

During the second year, people start acting “normal” again or at least more like they had before The Announcement. Doctors say that people can’t continue to function under the stress, so they’re trying to ignore what will happen.  At least it means that there are regular TV shows on again and not just the constant drone of 24 hour news. Slowly, the missing cooking shows and situation comedies come back. In the new world, people don’t want to watch reality television, they want escapism. Mayberry RFD is a top ten hit every week.

Garcia and JJ both become pregnant in the second year. Garcia apologizes, saying that she had always planned to be a mother, and just stopped being careful. JJ says that she and Will planned it, they want a second child and want Henry to have a baby brother or sister. The scientists all say that the end will be fast and painless, and people are counting on that.

The BAU starts to become busier, even the psychopaths were tired of their fear and go back to what they’re good at doing. Of course the truly crazy hadn’t stopped at all, but now the smarter killers are back, and it’s was almost a relief for the team to have cases that challenge them again.  Derek occasionally joins the team, as white collar crimes hasn’t keep him interested and the criminals piss him off too much. When he receives his second official reprimand, he asks to come back to Hotch’s team, but be based out of Chicago. Hotch has no problem agreeing.

Morgan notices that Dave is often hung over, but he seems fine on cases, so it isn’t mentioned. Spencer stays close to Dave at work and when a LEO starts to give a speech about god’s wrath and Sodom and Gomorrah, Derek is slightly faster than Spencer and decks him.  He goes to England to visit Emily during his 30-day suspension.

Their unsubs haven’t changed much; they weren’t holding back before The Announcement and the end of the world doesn’t change their plans. Overall, there’s an increase in the murder rate around the world as people who would have overlooked petty annoyances no longer do. The threat of life in prison doesn’t mean much when it’s barely two years.

During the fourth year, things really start to fall apart. Many people left their jobs and so electricity, gas and food supplies aren’t reliable. As federal law enforcement, the remaining team members have some extra access that civilians don’t. Garcia doesn’t think it’s right, but she has a baby, so accepts the perks. Spencer has spent time creating generators for when Rossi’s money isn’t enough for the black market. He pulled most of his money out of banks early on, when Spencer told him to. It was a good decision, as banks failed at the end of the third year.

Dave seems to be drinking less, but it’s obvious that Spencer is using again. It seems that he and Dave take turns deciding who gets to be fucked up on what day. Spencer is often found napping on the couch in Dave’s office, with Dave’s coat tucked around him.

Emily comes back to the states, wanting a relationship with her mother and missing her friends. It starts out well, but after a few months, she and her mother are fighting, mainly over Emily working with the FBI again. Not that they’re doing a lot of profiling at this point, law enforcement is at best routine police and at worst riot control.  They’ll go out when there’s a need for detective work, but sometimes Hotch doesn’t even tell the team they’ve been called. If it seems too dangerous, he thinks of his family first and says they’ll see what they can do and then hangs up the phone.

Beth becomes pregnant, which initially causes a huge fight, but Hotch doesn’t stay angry because it’s pointless. Everyone is trying to cram a lifetime into a few years, Beth included. Like many children, Jack is reacting by regressing. He’s 11, but acts much younger, occasionally talking baby-talk and sitting on Hotch’s lap, sucking his thumb.  Schools were closed a year ago and now Beth and Jack spend a lot of time at the BAU, where everyone can keep an eye on them. The FBI headquarters is a fortress and safe. People’s homes are being broken into, especially now with the more frequent food shortfalls.

Morgan’s sister had a baby, and after her car is carjacked, with the baby temporarily inside, Morgan becomes even more protective. He turns the floor of their apartment building into a fortress. The family takes over two neighboring apartments that were abandoned, Morgan breaking down walls between them. No one is allowed outside without him. He keeps in touch occasionally by phone or email, but his priority is keeping his family safe.

As the year progresses, Hotch can see Reid deteriorating.  He’s lost weight, his hair looks dull and he moves sluggishly. His eyes are the only things that look alive, fever bright. He sits in Rossi’s office, online when he can be, or scribbling in a notebook he has with him constantly. Dave sees Hotch looking at him and smiles sadly. He tells Hotch than at Spencer is making his own drugs at home.  At Hotch’s glare, Dave shrugs and points out that it’s safer than going out and more reliable. Dave says he makes sure that Spencer eats and bathes, but the only way he sleeps is with medication. Dave shrugs and points out that it’s a little late to worry about Spencer being a junkie and that he’s stopped drinking. It didn’t help and he needs to concentrate on Spencer. Dave tells Hotch he knows it’s crazy, but other than the death sentence on them, the last seven years have been the best of his life.

Hotch and Beth name their new son Adam.  Jack is delighted and acts a little more his age, which makes Hotch feel relieved.

Late in the fall of the fourth year Dave’s dog, Mudgie, dies of old age. Dave is inconsolable and he and Spencer stay out of the office for a few days. Hotch knows that their house has a lot of security, but he’s still concerned when they can’t be reached.  

They show up on the fourth day and request a meeting in Dave’s office.  Dave says that it’s getting worse outside and suggests that everyone left move into their house, which they can protect. He’s particularly worried about Garcia’s family; the funky little apartment building they live in is no longer cute, it’s just dangerous, with no security and a glass door leading into the building.

After discussing pros and cons, they agree that it’s the best solution, for when the time comes. Beth likes the idea a lot, and wants to move soon. Their house is lovely, but secluded. It’s been nice to live in during the good times, but she’s worried about how isolated they are and that they don’t have security around the perimeter. If she’s learned one thing from being a team spouse, it’s the benefits from the combination of Spencer’s brain and Dave’s money.

Right around the start of the fifth year, governments take over control of television and radio stations and there’s very little programming. It varies by country, but generally one or two news stations with all reports approved by the government and a station that plays old movies. Radio is about the same, a little pre-approved news and other stations have programmed endless music. Classical is popular or anything that is calming. Live sporting events were stopped several months ago, when they turned into riots. The new television stations don’t have any type of editorial programming or any religious programming after the incident in Spain when someone broke into the studio during a religious broadcast and shot the priest in the head. That broadcast was repeated over and over until the stations suddenly went black. When they came back, they had the new programming schedules.

There’s also the matter of electricity, which comes and goes. Reid’s been making generators out of anything discarded and making sure that the team has them in secure places. Garcia grumbles that there’s not a lot of point to them when the internet is so sporadic, but she appreciates it when the nights start to turn cooler.

Eventually, there’s another world-wide announcement with the expected date: October 21 or 22. Reid says he’s glad that there won’t be another depressing Halloween and goes into Dave’s office to sleep.  Hotch takes Adam to the small patio on the roof and they sit in the sun for an hour.

Dave and Hotch talk about when to make the move to Dave’s house. Beth is getting anxious and they’re both worried that Jack is having trouble sleeping again, jumping at every noise. When they try to talk to the remaining team, Garcia announces that she, Kevin and Gates are going to Chicago to Morgan’s house. They’ve talked about it, during the few times that they can get a connection. It’s not that they don’t appreciate the offer, but this just feels right.

Morgan agrees to drive out and meet them in Cleveland and escort them in. Garcia doesn’t want him to leave his family, no matter how protected he’s made their apartment. Emily offers to drive with them , to be sure they make it there safely.  She says she’ll be okay driving back alone or she might stay there, she’s not certain. Initially, Kevin is insulted, but realizes that Garcia needs to concentrate on Gates and while he’s with the FBI, Kevin isn’t an agent.  Not that being an agent is all that safe; the first generator that Spencer gave to Strauss was stolen out of her basement, along with three weapons. It wasn’t said out loud, but if she’d been home with her family, they probably all would have been killed.

Now that there’s a decision, the group wants to get moving as soon as possible. They’ve kept a couple of SUVs hidden and loaded one up with supplies, including another generator and some extra gas. Garcia’s arranged a couple of stops on the way, where they’ll be able to take a break, eat and fill up the tank.  It should take about 12 hours, but there’s no telling how many cars will be abandoned, blocking the roads. The gas they’re taking is just back-up, Garcia’s contacts need to come through.

When they’re ready to go, Emily hugs everyone and says bye, see you soon and all the right things. When she hugs Hotch she holds on a little longer and he asks if she’s really coming back.  She doesn’t say anything, just squeezes him extra hard, picks up her bag and leaves.

After the second announcement, any semblance of order is gone.  Most people have locked themselves in their homes. If you have to go out, you go in a group and hope that you won’t meet a bigger group, or one that wants what you have.

The move to Dave and Spencer’s is done efficiently, everyone going to Hotch’s to load the SUV and then back to their new headquarters. Beth and Spencer stay there with the kids and start to unpack and get the family organized in their new quarters while Dave and Hotch make the second and final run.  When they get back, Spencer sees that the front bumper is damaged and Dave quietly says he’ll explain later.

Dave and Spencer are clearly prepared. They have multiple generators, and emergency food and water supplies, including a water purifier unit. There’s a large garden in the back and Dave proudly shows off the food they’ve canned.  Spencer points out that Dave did the actual canning and that the peaches are good, but he still doesn’t like yellow beans.  

Things are calm and it’s actually a good couple of months. The two families spend some time together and time alone. Dave and Spencer babysit and give Hotch and Beth privacy to sit outside on a swing, drinking wine from Dave’s excellent collection. Dave says they have to drink everything even if it means they’re drunk all the time, which he seems to be working on. Hotch owns breakfasts and Dave and Beth do the rest of the cooking.  Beth earns Dave’s seal of approval for her chicken and dumplings.

Initially, Jack’s upset that he’s limited to an hour of television per day, but soon he adjusts and Hotch finds him in the kitchen one day humming along to opera, helping Dave make bread. They’ve watched the same DVDs over and over and soon the extended family each says the lines along with whatever character they’ve claimed.

Spencer monitors news reports when he finds them. Nothing much has changed, but he confirms they made the right choice going in when they did. He also confirms that October 21 is the official date.

They’ve heard from Garcia and Morgan twice.  They’re all doing okay, with enough supplies to last them. Baby Gates is running and calls Derek’s mother Gramma. Emily didn’t stay, she said she was going back to DC and no one can find her. Garcia gets through to her mother and when her mother starts to panic, she tells her that Emily is probably with Dave and not to worry. After that, there’s no more news.

It turns out that Spencer is great with Adam. He’s incredibly patient and the baby loves to watch his elastic face and listen to him read technical manuals in funny voices. Beth is a bit worried because of Spencer’s tendency to nod off, but he’s very careful with both Adam and Jack.

There’s no official time for the end of the world on October 21, other than sometime in the evening. Everyone gets up normally, Hotch makes breakfast and the two families go to their sides of the house. Dave comes out of their room for a bottle of wine. Beth makes lunch and their family eats outside on the picnic table and Hotch finishes the last two beers.

Jack is the only one hungry for dinner and everyone listens to him chatter. He’s allowed to watch a complete movie afterwards.

When the movie ends, they move to the backyard, to the lounge chairs on the deck, arranged facing east. Beth holds Adam and Hotch holds Jack, who dozes off.  Dave and Spencer are sitting together on a lounge, Spencer’s back against Dave’s chest. No one talks, they just look at the stars and sip wine. Beth reaches for Hotch’s hand and after a second, Hotch reaches for Dave’s.  They sit for a few minutes not saying much. Dave whispers something to Spencer that makes them both chuckle. Beth and Hotch swap children and Jack puts his arms around Beth and snuggles.

A couple of hours pass quietly and then Spencer points to the sliver of light at the horizon, which quickly brightens.

 


End file.
